5,386

[The Large One]

But in answer to your question, how do you know?

This would have been the scenario, should the club have been daft enough to follow this route...

1. Apply for planning permission to build a stadium at Sheepcote Valley, when an exhaustive sequential site analysis involving the Albion and the Unity Authority (now the City Council) stated that Falmer was the only viable option.

2. The local authority gets pissed off with the Albion for not following its own research. Conclusion: Planning permission REJECTED by the Local Authority.

3. The Albion appeal and it goes to a public inquiry. All this time, the fans have spotted a flaw in the club's own arguements and are not fuly supportive of the scheme, and wonder why Falmer was not pursued. The club and the City Council are now at loggerheads, and the people against Sheepcote development point to massive inconsistencies in both the Albion's evidence and the City Council's policy on planning. Verdict from the Planning Inspector: Recommend planning permission DENIED on the grounds of there not being a suitable sustanable public transport scheme.

4. Overall conclusion: The Albion would be even more f***ed in the arse than Dwayne on a Friday night.

This scenario could well have been played out for all sites mentioned across the city, plus those stupid sites mentioned which were located in a different county (thanks Perseus you f***ing plank).

 

[Simster]

OK - I think I get it now: It isn't the fault of people that don't go to games...that people aren't going to games. OK. That's clear. Even on a Monday.

Withdean's not always THAT bad, FFS. And besides, if you're a real Albion fan, that's all we have. We'll have to live with it for it for now.

Yes it is. It's DIRE - although that's not the reason I don't go very often.

It's all very well for you with your covered seat you north stand POSHO but some of us have to go in the cheap seats.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Yes it is. It's DIRE - although that's not the reason I don't go very often.

So how do you know it's been crap recently (because it hasn't, always)? It's like the bloke who said it was crap last week without having been recently, which Lokki pointed out was daft.

And besides, I sometimes quite like slumming it in the cold and wet with the great south stand unwashed. Just not at the moment...

 

[The Large One]

What you have to bear in mind is that Lewes District Council have NOT come up with any decent counter-arguments to Falmer - not that will satisfy the government into believing somewhere else is better. And if they haven't done it before, where is the evidence to assume they magic one up out of thin air now?

All Lewes have done is to use and abuse the process of appeal, knowing full well that the government machine turns very slowly, thereby lenghtening the time they can delay what is ultimately an inevitable situation - the construction of a stadium near Falmer.

So for every person who waivers in the belief now is one more small victory - one more small scalp to be claimed - for Lewes District Council. And do you really want to be considered one of Ann de Vecchi's bitches, a mere scratch on her immoral bedpost?

 

[Dave the OAP]

And do you really want to be considered one of Ann de Vecchi's bitches, a mere scratch on her immoral bedpost?

Alan, forgive me, but why is that everytime someone suggests something that is not the party line, you resort to insulting them.

Has it not occurred to you that there are many people out there is the real world who think, rightly or wrongly, that LDC have a point.

The idea of reasoned argument is just that....insulting people just gets people's backs up doesn't it!

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

The harsh reality as I see it is that it costs too much to see the Albion at Withdean.

Sorry but that is a fact. I mean you can now get tickets on tinternet half hr before kick off or whatever, pop into the shop, give them a ring etc so I dont think its the obtaining tickets...but maybe pay on the day would encourage a few more but not alot I should think.

For example. There is no way with this time of year I could shell out £50 for the Swansea and Cheltenham games. No way at all.

Now if it was £25 for both then maybe yes. The club did the shirt thing and that was an excellent idea...

But im afraid prices must come down. Harsh but true.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I should add that you tell the average punter it costs £25 to watch them and you should see their faces.

£12.50 they would consider it. I know why they are priced so high travel voucher etc but again to the average punter £25 is still alot of money...

 

[BIRCHYBOY27]

i understand what you mean but i earn shite money but can afford to go and i would pay the same in whatever division time of year or anything

 

[Dave the OAP]

But im afraid prices must come down. Harsh but true.

Would you be prepared to see our current crop of "star" players sold to balance the books if they reduced the prices?

Its a balance, which i think the Board are in a no win situation - drop prices in the hope people come through the turnstiles, run up bigger losses, sell decent players to cover the losses, have weaker team - no one comes to watch them.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

i understand what you mean but i earn shite money but can afford to go and i would pay the same in whatever division time of year or anything

That is to be commended. I go when I can afford it. Simple as that really.

I mean I went to the MK Dons game. Tenner! Bargain!

 

[Man of Harveys]

I should add that you tell the average punter it costs £25 to watch them and you should see their faces.

£12.50 they would consider it. I know why they are priced so high travel voucher etc but again to the average punter £25 is still alot of money...

It is, I agree. But unfortunately, as some of the cost/benefit analysis on here last week showed, the numbers who'd be likely to come to Withdean if prices were put down don't make a price cut worthwhile.

I think one-off cheap days are the best idea, rather like Oldham are doing, to try and get people to realise that it's actually quite good - although, of course, you can guarantee the team will be crap for the first time in MONTHS that day...

Plus cheaper ticket days would mean that we lose even MORE money and get closer to LDC's goal of seeing us go out of business that much more quickly. Unless, of course, we sell Dean Cox...

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Would you be prepared to see our current crop of "star" players sold to balance the books if they reduced the prices?

Its a balance, which i think the Board are in a no win situation - drop prices in the hope people come through the turnstiles, run up bigger losses, sell decent players to cover the losses, have weaker team - no one comes to watch them.

Oh I agree Dave it is a classic catch 22. I dont envy the boards decisions one bit. Of course one has to balance the other.

Trouble is for the "floating" fan £25 + of anyones money is a bit steep. Even more so at this time of year.

So yes it goes back to getting a proper stadium where prices can fluctuate according to where you sit.

 

[BIRCHYBOY27]

i agree bargain im a season ticket holder and wish prices were lower but understand they cannot be most of my money goes on the albion (much to my girlfriends disgust) but i couldnt miss a game ive missed 1 at withdean that was against stafford rangers my mate got married i think they should maybe have a price band like other club forest higher prices crap teams that wont bring loads lower to get people in agree?

 

[Scoffers]

As I have said before, I dont believe that reducing the ticket price is going to work (not this season, at least).

The ticket price is inflated because it includes the travel voucher. Could the club not issue tickets at a cheaper rate, without the vouchers for future seasons, or is that a condition of playing at Withdean?

 

[BIRCHYBOY27]

i asked about travel vouchers apparently its one of the things we have to have whilst we play at withdean

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I think one-off cheap days are the best idea, rather like Oldham are doing. But they mean we lose even MORE money and get closer to LDC's goal of seeing us go out of business that much more quickly.

Definitely - maybe the odd BOGOF could have done a double header for Swansea / Cheltenham.

The shirt idea was also good!

I do commend the club for trying dont get me wrong!

 

[Dave the OAP]

Oh I agree Dave it is a classic catch 22. I dont envy the boards decisions one bit. Of course one has to balance the other.

Trouble is for the "floating" fan £25 + of anyones money is a bit steep. Even more so at this time of year.

So yes it goes back to getting a proper stadium where prices can fluctuate according to where you sit.

absolutely.

I dont envy the club this situation one little bit.

My fear is this is what is the economic reality i going to be until Falmer comes to fruition. how many more people will fall out of love with the albion in that time is anyone's guess.

 

[The Large One]

Alan, forgive me, but why is that everytime someone suggests something that is not the party line, you resort to insulting them.

Has it not occurred to you that there are many people out there is the real world who think, rightly or wrongly, that LDC have a point.

The idea of reasoned argument is just that....insulting people just gets people's backs up doesn't it!

I can only assume you have mis-read either the tone of the post or the post itself. No-one in insulting anyone (apart from de Vecchi - who deserves it) unless you take humour at de Vecchi's expense to be insulting.

Lewes' whole ploy is to undermine the Albion's case by disgracefully unspirited means (in plain English - to tell lies), totally devoid of reasoned argument. One of those strands is to believe that the Albion's case is hopeless and that the club has lied to its fans, in order to drive a wedge between the club and the fans. What disappoints me is that, in a few cases (not many, but a few), they have succeeded.

Taking a look at the cold, hard FACTS will show that to believe anything Lewes say is folly. I am merely endeavouring to shake anyone who is being transfixed by Lewes' *cough* case out of any reverie they may be in. The simple truth is - Lewes don't have a case. They simply don't.

This new report in February may being some points to bear, but I doubt it. If they can resolve the transport issue at Whitehawk, perhaps they can resolve the Middle East next - it might be easier.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

As I have said before, I dont believe that reducing the ticket price is going to work (not this season, at least).

The ticket price is inflated because it includes the travel voucher. Could the club not issue tickets at a cheaper rate, without the vouchers for future seasons, or is that a condition of playing at Withdean?

I am pretty sure it is a condition of our planning application. It would be unworkable anyway and probably increase the amount of traffic in the area.

I hardly ever use my travel voucher, but it is just one of those things that I accept in order to keep the club afloat.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

how many more people will fall out of love with the albion in that time is anyone's guess.

And regrettably the cost of that is immense. Especially in the days of overexposed overpaid premier league alice band wearing pansies earning £100k + a week on TV and in the news every second.